Canadian finding work in USA

[Stubby and Rio 4]

I am curious how long it took most Canadians to find work once you started applying for jobs....whether it be in your field or " any " job....I would be happy to work in my field...but to have any job that gets me out of the house and have some US experience on my resume might be helpful as well. Did you look for work right away or did you take some time to get settled in your area....just curious as to what the experiences have been like...

[Cathi 5,784]

My husband is not Canadian, but it took him 5 months to find his first job. Even with a degree in computer engineering and years of experience, no one was willing to give him a chance. His first job was at Walmart, in the distribution center loading trucks. He finally found a job I his field after 10 months. Even at that it was just an intern position. He has been here a year and he is still working at that intern job, but they have informed him at the end of the contract which is up at the end of December they will hire him permanently. I will say that even though his first job was the job from hell, he was just happy for the opportunity to work. And now that it's all said and done, he is beyond ecstatic, because had he not landed that first job there is no way he would be working for the company he is at now, one of the best up and coming high tech medical companies in the world. Life is good!

[NikLR 13,232]

I found employment about 1-2 weeks after filling out applications. Target called me the day I sent the application to be honest. Retail is my "field" so to speak.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I didn;t start looking until I was closer to having my EAD. Of course I did polish up the resume and prepare a little. I arrived in Nov, started applying in Late Feb and Had a job by mid March. I started work March 2008 at a great company and haven't looked back - same company still and really enjoying it. I work in IT and it wasn't hard to find a job in my field at all in our area of DC - I had previously browsed even before I moved to get a feel for the market.

I even explained my gap in employment in coverletters which I think helped the situation, otherwise employer might have wondered if I was trying to do a TN VISA...I wanted to empasize that I now lived in the area and was eligible for employement. More info is better IMO

PS: and the Canadian unemployment didn't hurt once I had my EAD, I had some income coming in while we waited.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Udella&Wiz